An open letter to President-Elect Donald Trump, signed by nearly 300 American Muslims, expresses "serious concerns" about the policies proposed during the campaign and recent administration appointments.
The letter comes amid a period of increasing anti-Muslim hate crimes and rhetoric since the Nov. 8 election. But the letter focuses largely on the positive contributions of Muslims in the U.S. and even applauds Trump for recently denouncing bigotry during a "60 Minutes" interview.
"As our President-Elect, one of your duties is to ensure our collective safety and security," it reads. "This includes protecting the First Amendment rights of all Americans to freely practice their faith, without fear, intimidation or reprisal."
Listing some of the country's most-prominent Muslims, the letter includes U.S. Congressmen Keith Ellison and Andre Carson, Olympians, engineers and scientists.
"The values we hold align with those of the overwhleming majority of Americans," the letter reads, pointing to a recent study saying "Muslims are as likely as Protestants to have a strong American identity."
The leaders also condemn proposals that would targets Muslims and violate Constitutional rights, including a former Trump spokesperson saying precedent exists for a registry of Muslim immigrants because of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
The letter concludes with wishing Trump "success in upholding out country's founding principles and for a future of progress for all Americans."

The letter comes amid a period of increasing anti-Muslim hate crimes and rhetoric since the Nov. 8 election. But the letter focuses largely on the positive contributions of Muslims in the U.S. and even applauds Trump for recently denouncing bigotry during a "60 Minutes" interview.

Advertisement

"As our President-Elect, one of your duties is to ensure our collective safety and security," it reads. "This includes protecting the First Amendment rights of all Americans to freely practice their faith, without fear, intimidation or reprisal."

Listing some of the country's most-prominent Muslims, the letter includes U.S. Congressmen Keith Ellison and Andre Carson, Olympians, engineers and scientists.

"The values we hold align with those of the overwhleming majority of Americans," the letter reads, pointing to a recent study saying "Muslims are as likely as Protestants to have a strong American identity."

The leaders also condemn proposals that would targets Muslims and violate Constitutional rights, including a former Trump spokesperson saying precedent exists for a registry of Muslim immigrants because of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

The letter concludes with wishing Trump "success in upholding out country's founding principles and for a future of progress for all Americans."